Generating member profile recommendations based on common connection data in a social graph

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating recommendations based on data derived from a social network are described. For example, a first indirect connection of a source member profile may be identified. The first indirect connection is a member profile connected to the source member through a first connection path. A second indirect connection of the source member profile is also identified. The second indirect connection is a member profile connected to the source member through a second connection path. A selection is made between the first indirect connection and the second indirect connection based on a comparison of common connection scores calculated for the indirect connections. The selected indirect connection is then surfaced to a client device associated with the source member profile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 identifying a first indirect connection of a source member profile, the first indirect connection being a member profile connected to the source member profile through a first connection path that includes member connections between the source member profile, a first direct connection, and the first indirect connection;   identifying a second indirect connection of the source member profile, the second indirect connection being a member profile connected to the source member profile through a second connection path that includes member connections between the source member profile, a second direct connection, and the second indirect connection;   selecting, by one or more processors, between the first indirect connection and the second indirect connection based on a comparison of a common connection score calculated for the first indirect connection and a common connection score calculated for the second indirect connection; and   surfacing the selected indirect connection to a client device associated with the source member profile.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection based on a function of common connection data associated with one or more of the member connections of the first connection path. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating the common connection score associated with the second indirect connection based on a function of common connection data associated with one or more of the member connections of the second connection path. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of identifying the first indirect connection of the source member profile and the operation of identify the second direct connection are performed in response to detecting a recommendation event. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the recommendation event being a service request sent by a service generating connection recommendations for the source member profile. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection and the common connection score associated with the second indirect connection are both calculated prior to receiving the recommendation event. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of identifying the first indirect connection of the source member profile is performed by using a member profile identifier assigned to the source member profile to search a name value data source that returns a list of member profile identifier and common connection score pairs, the list include a member profile identifier and common connection score pairs including a pair including a member profile identifier assigned to the first indirect connection and the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection based on common connection data of a member connection between the source member profile and the first direct member connection. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection is based further on common connection data of a member connection between the first direct member connection and the first indirect member connection. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of surfacing the selected indirect connection to the client device associated with the source member profile includes communicating data relating to a user interface element capable of sending a request to invite the first indirect connection to form a member connection with the source member profile. 
     
     
         11 . A computer system comprising:
 a recommendation engine implemented by at least one processor and configured to:
 identify a first indirect connection of a source member profile, the first indirect connection being a member profile connected to the source member profile through a first connection path that includes member connections between the source member profile, a first direct connection, and the first indirect connection; 
 identify a second indirect connection of the source member profile, the second indirect connection being a member profile connected to the source member profile through a second connection path that includes member connections between the source member profile, a second direct connection, and the second indirect connection; 
 select, by one or more processors, between the first indirect connection and the second indirect connection based on a comparison of a common connection score calculated for the first indirect connection and a common connection score calculate for the second indirect connection; and 
   a presentation engine implemented by the at least one processor and configured to surface the selected indirect connection to a client device associated with the source member profile.   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , further comprising calculating the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection based on a function of common connection data associated with one or more of the member connections of the first connection path. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , further comprising calculating the common connection score associated with the second indirect connection based on a function of common connection data associated with one or more of the member connections of the second connection path. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the operation of identifying the first indirect connection of the source member profile and the operation of identify the second direct connection are performed in response to detecting a recommendation event. 
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the recommendation event being a service request sent by a service generating connection recommendations for the source member profile. 
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection and the common connection score associated with the second indirect connection are both calculated prior to receiving the recommendation event. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the operation of identifying the first indirect connection of the source member profile is performed by using a member profile identifier assigned to the source member profile to search a name value data source that returns a list of member profile identifier and common connection score pairs, the list include a member profile identifier and common connection score pairs including a pair including a member profile identifier assigned to the first indirect connection and the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 11 , further comprising calculating the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection based on common connection data of a member connection between the source member profile and the first direct member connection. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein calculating the common connection score associated with the first indirect connection is based further on common connection data of a member connection between the first direct member connection and the first indirect member connection. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 identifying a first indirect connection of a source member profile, the first indirect connection being a member profile connected to the source member profile through a first connection path that includes member connections between the source member profile, a first direct connection, and the first indirect connection;   identifying a second indirect connection of the source member profile, the second indirect connection being a member profile connected to the source member profile through a second connection path that includes member connections between the source member profile, a second direct connection, and the second indirect connection;   selecting, by one or more processors, between the first indirect connection and the second indirect connection based on a comparison of a common connection score calculated for the first indirect connection and a common connection score calculate for the second indirect connection; and   surfacing the selected indirect connection to a client device associated with the source member profile.